Vineyard Chill: A Martha's Vineyard Mystery

This is the final Martha's Vineyard mystery written by Philip R. Craig and it contains an intriguing story about murder on the idealic island. I have read the entire series and looked forward to each new publication. This last tale does not disappoint except for the sad realization that the joy of author Craig's wonderful stories about the Jackson Family have come to a close. It's like losing a dear friend. I recommend for anyone unfamiliar with this series to start at the beginning with the books written in the 1990s.

Jefferson ["J. W."] Jackson has been married to his second wife, Zee, for ten years. [As he says, "Zee and I had both been married before but had survived to try again, successful examples of the triumph of hope over experience."] They have a ten-year-old son and an eight-year-old daughter and two cats ["Oliver Underfoot" and "Velcro"] and live year-round in Martha's Vineyard. The novel opens in mid-winter, a time when the area is quiet, with the usual hordes of tourists nowhere in sight. J.W. receives a call followed by an equally unexpected visit from his old friend, Clay Stockton, an "adventurer" looking for a safe place to stay after being involved in some less-than-legal activities in the States. His arrival portends an end to the uneventful winter. Also livening things up - not in a good way - is the discovery by J.W.'s friend, Bonzo, of a bird's nest apparently comprised of human hair, and the suspicion is that it is that of a young woman who had gone missing nearly a year ago. Nadine Gibson was a beautiful twenty-two year old who worked with Bonzo and who had last been seen when she left for home one night after work and apparently disappeared. Bonzo is described by J.W. as follows: "Long before I'd met him, he'd gotten into some bad acid and had doomed himself to a life of gentle preadolescence...I wondered, not for the first time, if he was really worse off for having taken the bad acid that changed him from a promising young man into an eternal child. His life was simple, his emotions fresh and innocent, and his innate goodness was never altered by the random evils of life. He remembered the good things and, for the most part, forgot the bad." But he becomes a suspect, and J.W. decides to investigate. He is a former Boston PD cop who retired after deciding "to let somebody else save the world," so has the knowledge and experience to do so. The writing in this book is completely enchanting, the delight in reading it overshadowed frequently by melancholy knowing that of the nineteen novels in the Martha's Vineyard Mystery series written by Philip R. Craig, this was unfortunately the last: The author passed away in May of 2007. [Mr. Craig also co-wrote three books with William G. Tapply.] All lovers of language are urged to read as many of these as they can get their hands on - they are all gems. Of J.W.'s friend, Clay, the author says: "...among his other talents, he had that of a teller of tales, who could weave words into a web that captured his listeners and held them until his story ended." The same can be said of Mr. Craig.

I have read every book by Philip Craig and was heart sick to learn that he died last May.J.W. and Zee and the kids became a part of a yearly read and Craig never failed to entertain with his dry wit and ability to have colorful characters. Needless to say. I read every sentence knowing it would be the last from him. Thanks Phil for many years of showing us around the vineyard with a way that no one else could.

Winters on the island of Martha's Vineyard can be cold and snowy, but at least they're nearly tourist-free. At least, that's the way Jefferson W. Jackson looks at the calendar. It's the perfect time to catch up with old friend Clay Stockton, who phones J.W. out of the blue and arrives on the ferry from Woods Hole soon afterward. But the former Boston cop is no dummy, and he can tell that Clay is running from something ... or someone ... or multiple someones, for that matter. While Clay makes yet another attempt to start a new life for himself, two goons from California show up on his trail. He and J.W. try to learn who they represent, what they're up to, and how they found him. In the meantime: new information comes to light over the fate of Nadine Gibson, the local redheaded waitress who's been missing for a year. The discovery of some of her distinctive hair woven into an old robin's nest is disturbing evidence for the inevitable. Can J.W. use his proven investigative experience to puzzle out both scenarios? Avid mystery readers may find themselves holding their collective breaths as they turn the pages here. We all know the formula by heart: the typical plot begins with one death, and then a second body surfaces later to either confound or confirm suspicions surrounding the first. Nadine can count as the first one, even though the events in this book begin long after her disappearance. Since Clay is one of J.W.'s friends, we certainly don't want to see him end up as the second victim. But those hoodlums from the West Coast seem to mean business; and who knows how many others may be looking for Clay? Can J.W. interfere with the usual turn of events and reward his chum with -- finally -- a chance at real happiness? For that very reason, "Vineyard Chill" is probably one of the best episodes in this mystery series. The invisible tension is heightened by the knowledge that author Philip Craig passed away in May 2007. (Especially apt and chilling is the life-and-death passage from Ecclesiastes that opens the text.) According to his web site, Craig left behind one unfinished manuscript that awaits a family member's attention. So perhaps we will someday meet up once again with J.W., Zee, Joshua and Diana. If we don't: well, the twenty-two encounters we already have access to will have to suffice.

Retired Boston cop J.W. Jackson and his family are shocked when his friend Clay Stockton arrives unannounced for a visit in the dead of winter on Martha's Vineyard as mainlanders never come out in January or February. Apparently a local boat builder has hired Clay. J.W. likes the swashbuckling Clay, but also knows where the man goes trouble follows. Sure enough not long afterward, two armed men come looking for Clay. J.W. sends the strangers to the local cops while warning Clay to stay alert. At the same time a bird's nest containing strands of human red hair has been found; hair that matches missing Nadine Gibson, who disappeared last year; the prime suspect is Bonzo who took her bird-watching just before she vanished. This excellent Vineyard thriller is a terrific tale that pays homage to its late great author. The story line is fast-paced and filled with action as Clay lives up to his reputation and Bonzo becomes a person of interest; both friends force J.W. to act out of a deep sense of loyalty. Fans will feel the icy chill in the air as murder comes to the Cape. Harriet Klausner